JUST AFEW FEET AWAY FROM THE KING OF THAILAND
The royal summer residence, Klaikangwon Palace sits close to the centre of Hua Hin and as I
slowly drove by yesterday was already ringed with yellow, the colour for Monday the day of
his birth; billowing flags, softly draped fabric around the entire perimeter of palace walls,
stately pictures, gold framed and much larger than life, all homage to a king who has become
much more than a king, a figure of universal statesman hood.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej has
had a long life and all devoted
Thai’s wish nothing more for him
on December 5th than an even
longer
life.
Thailand’s
peacemaker over decades of his
rule, this much revered King is
the common rallying figure for a
deeply polarized population over
the past few years. If there is a
word that has more meaning,
evokes more outpouring than
LOVE, then it surely must be
used to describe the feelings that
ordinary Thais have for King
Bhumibol. They fear for a world
that is void of his patriarchal
presence, as indeed do most foreigners who have made Thailand their home.
I was told I was lucky to have come so close to the king 14 years ago after having dinner with
my good friend at a hotel in Hua Hin. And yes, I did feel extraordinarily fortunate. Few
foreigners actually get to see King Bhumibol Adulyadei and fewer still come within feet of him.
We were staying in the nearby city of Cha-am and making good progress back there when my
friend suddenly became very excited. “I think the King must be coming.” she said to a
bewildered me. It was close to eleven at night, relatively quiet with no sign whatsoever of the
imminent arrival of a monarch. We pulled over to the side of the road, my friend peering
inside a fruit and vegetable store at the small group of people assembled there. Her
excitement grew as she described the store as being part of the Kings Project, quality,
organically grown fruit and vegetables at artificially low prices offered to his subjects with
mutual love and caring. She identified a music friend of the King in the small throng and one
or two other dignitaries. There was something about to happen and possibly quite soon.
My friend observed that she was wearing a skirt and I was not. “I’m very sorry, but you can’t
come with me in case the King comes, you’re wearing trousers.” I accepted my fate, trousers
were not respectful attire for a woman when in the presence of Thai royalty so while she
entered the store, greeting those within with the traditional Thai wai, I stood quietly beneath
a large Rain tree in full view of the store but yet a comfortable distance away my companions
at this time only three or four, waiting like me, in silence.
Typical of the level of his care and consideration for the rank and file, I learned the King
typically travels at night. He does so deliberately so as not to disrupt the flow of traffic and
seriously inconvenience people. His meetings are then, largely scheduled at night and
movement is almost at an hour most people are asleep.
Two cars pulled up and parked a
short distance from the store. A
small, cavalcade of police
outriders on motorbikes had
flanked the humble sedans and
they remained astride their
vehicles as the King emerged from
the driver’s side of the car. He was
not alone and not being familiar
with Thai nobility I had no idea
who his companion was but a
second car parked alongside were
likely a security detail. All dressed
casually in civilian clothes,
including the King it was clear
there was no formal motive in mind for this visit. No Mercedes or BMW, no Lexus or Roles
Royce, no entourage of officialdom just an inconspicuous pair of sedans of a brand that easily
went unnoticed under the street lights of Hua Hin.
The King made his way directly to the store and I noticed that my two or three companions
had grown to a dozen or more with small children among them. They arrived as quietly as
they now stood, in reverence, heads bowed hands held together in front of downcast eyes as
if in prayer. Even the children instinctively knew to calm themselves and stood quite still on
the spot, wide eyed, mouths agape. How could they not feel the intensity of my excitement?
How was it possible to stand restrained and composed with the King of Thailand walking right
past you? Such constraint, such composure are hallmarks of Thai culture; a culture that
refrains from demonstrating strong emotions when in public. It is regarded as a sign of
strength to maintain composure, to display control of emotions when others around you may
yield to there’s. I very much admired this cultural trait but regrettably miserably failed in
attempts to emulate it.
The King could just be seen greeting his great musical friend but was often out of view as he
made his way from person to person inside the store. I saw my friend give something that
looked like a slight curtsy, lowering her body so that her height was kept well below his in his
presence. Her wai was deeply respectful eyes averting his gaze. Onlookers gathering about
me kept their respectful pose and if a dozen or more people had joined us, we were not aware
when or how that happened.
My enduring memory of the short walk he took to his car, before he opened the driver’s side
and made himself comfortable behind the wheel, was the remarkable reaction of my fellow
royal watchers. King Bhumibol made a slight detour to acknowledge those who had waited
about me. With his head imperturbably bowed, serenely poised, without a smile and very few
words somehow his presence alone conveyed the mutual respect in which he held my
companions. His warmth and compassion like silent sentinels always by his side.
Not a word was uttered, not a single sound near or far; the breeze in that moment if indeed
there was one made no impression on a solitary branch or leaf… soundless, total and complete
silence. No cheering crowds, no horn blowing, no whistles, no ‘long live the King’, not the
merest hint of a whisper! I had only ever experienced such stillness, such intense quiet under
the dome of a mighty cathedral in the presence of prayer filled faithful. This was outdoors
not out of earshot of cars and heavy trucks moving betwixt and between cities but like me,
nobody heard a thing.
This was a single man, borne to rule of stature much, much taller than his actual size. A King
who humbly passed a single quiet moment of greeting with his people whose deep and
undeniable reverence froze sound for what seemed a very long time but of course couldn’t
have been.
The moment passed and as he drove into the
stream of traffic, outriders in tow, I realized I
hadn’t breathed in quite a long time. I had
absorbed the atmosphere but in my stillness
had registered every tiny detail and now
wanted to happily and noisily chat to my
neighbours about what we had just shared
together…we’d seen the King, we had been
close enough to reach out and touch him!
Extraordinary good fortune! But that was not
to be; as serenely and quietly as the throng had
gathered, so they dispersed and I guessed that
this was the way it had possibly always been?
King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit live now in
their summer palace in Hua Hin, a special
honour for the people of Prachuapkirikhan. His
birthday this year will be marked by many
ceremonies and events in celebration of his rule
and in homage to the care, love and complete
dedication he has extended to the people of
Thailand. But I will forever remember an unassuming bespectacled man, a man despite his
regal moniker drove himself about in the middle of the night in a modest sedan to avoid
bringing discomfort to his people. An unpretentious, remarkable man, a powerful figure made
powerful through his many good deeds and not through forceful endeavours. Happy Birthday
and long may he live.
Nadine Tyro
December 2013